Apparatus for taking floating and solid materials out of channels

ABSTRACT

Driven elevator chains are provided with blades passing along an inclined conveyor chute and adjoining grate to remove floating and solid materials from a channel in which the grate is positioned. These elevator chains are guided by lower and upper sprockets, the lower sprockets being mounted in independent suspension on side walls pivotally arranged about the axis of the upper sprockets thereby providing the blades with better mobility.

ite States Ptet A 1191 Abel 1 Mar. 18, 1975 [54] APPARATUS FOR TAKINGFLOATING AND 1,225,160 -2/1917 Niharta. 210/154 T L T OF CHANNEL1,839,186 1.. 1931 Leonzlr ..l0/l54 SOLID MA ERIA S 0U 5 2,901,1138/1959 Newell 210/161 X Inventor: Giinther be l0 Benzstrassefl93,325.013 6/1967 Cyphers 1, 210/150 Ulm, Germany 3,347,382 10/1967 Quast210/159 [22] Filed: 1973 Primary E.\'zm1iner-Theodore A. Granger [21]Appl. N0.: 392,115 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Roland l. Griffin 52 11.5.C1. 210/158, 210/526 7 ABSTRAC T 51 1111. C1. BOldl 35/28 DFWB" elevatorChams are Prowded blades Pass [58] Field Of Search 210/154, 155, 156,157, ing along Y Chute adjoining 210/158 160, 161 162, 526, 159 grate toremove floatmg and s0l1d materials from a channel in which the grate ispositioned. These eleva- [56] References Cited tor chains are guided bylower and upper sprockets, UNITED STATES PATENTS the lower sprocketsbemg mounted 1n mdependent suspension on side walls pivotally arrangedabout the 2: :32

axis of the upper sprockets thereby providing the 905:151; 12/1908 Duggset 211.11 2 0/159 ux blades better 986,231 3/1911 Sloan 210/162 14Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEU 8 I975 3,872 O06 sum 2 OF 4 M n\ /HL7\ M,

Z LJENTED EM 1 8 I975 SHEET 3 u? 4 umv APPARATUS FOR-TAKING FLOATING ANDSOLID MATERIALS OUT OF CHANNELS BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThis invention is related to apparatus for taking floating and solidmaterials out of channels, especially channels of clarification plants.The apparatus includes an inclined grate that is transmissible forliquids and extends to the bottom of a channel, the grate changing overinto a conveyor chute leading to a discharge outlet. The apparatusfurther includes a supporting frame and elevator chains guided in sidewalls by sprockets and provided with a drive motor, the elevator chainssupporting blades passing along the grate and the conveyor chute. Thisapparatus may be used in clarification plants and in pumping plants toclean the pumping liquids before they enter the pump. It is also usefulin the textile or leather manufacturing industries for removing fibersand fibre-like materials from liquids.

Known apparatus of this kind is provided with a stationary gratechanging over into a conveyer chute. Floating and solid materials areled upward by an elevator and dropped at a discharge outlet. Floatingmaterial is all material that moves on or within the specific liquidabove the bottom of the channel. Solid material is all material that isguided or moved by the liquid at the bottom of the channel. The elevatorincludes elevator chains guided in side walls by sprockets and ismounted so that it may turn aside or move toward the stationary grateand conveyer chute to pick up an obstacle of floating or solidmaterials. However, the two side walls of the elevator can only move atthe same angle. Moreover, in some cases the elevator is not movableenough to pick up the obstacle the first time it engages a blade. Thisrestricted mobility is a disadvantage of known apparatus. Arrivingobstacles in the channel may therefore engage more than one blade and bebrought to another position by these blades before a blade is able totake the obstacles out of the channel. This often causes breakdowns ofthe apparatus. The apparatus must therefore be cleaned manually tocontinue working.

It is the object of this invention to overcome these shortcomings ofknownapparatus and to provide an improved apparatus which permitsarriving obstacles in channels to be removed in a short time and whichprevents breakdowns of the apparatus even in the case of many obstaclesarriving at the same time. Another object of this invention is to enablecleaning of the apparatus, especially the inclined grate and theconveyor chute, during working.

These objects are accomplished according to a preferred embodiment ofthis invention by mounting the sprockets serving as the lower guiderollers of the elevator chains in independent suspension on the sidewalls, which are in turn pivoted on the drive shaft supporting the uppersprockets. By the independent suspension of the lower sprockets there ismuch more mobility of the apparatus at the pick up point. This causesarriving obstacles to be taken out of the channel when they engage ablade the first time. The side walls pivoted on the drive shaft may eachdeviate at a different angle to the grate and the conveyor chute. Thisincreases the mobility of the blades. Apparatus which is destinated foruse in wide channels especially includes one or more spacing bars madeof or containing elastic material. These spacing bars connect the twoside walls together and give stability to the apparatus. They do notdecrease the mobility of the independent suspension too much.

The sprockets serving as the lower guide rollers are tension rollers forthe elevator chains and are adjustably and fixably secured to the sidewalls. It is still more simple where the sprockets serving as the lowerguide rollers are to serve as tension rollers for the elevator chainsand are pivoted on the side walls to adjustably and fixably secure theside walls to the drive shaft. This permits the radial distance from theends of the side walls to the drive shaft to be adjusted and fixed fortensioning the elevator chains. Guide tracks are located on the sidewalls in the area of slack portions and tight portions of the elevatorchains. The guide tracks in the area of the tight portions of theelevator chains preclude a lifting of the blades off the grate and theconveyor chute. Thus, during the upward movement of the blades, thepicked up materials have no chance to leave the blades. The guide tracksin the area of the slack portions of the elevator chains precludehanging of the elevator chains at this point and a rapid increase intheir length. The guide tracks are rails outflanking the elevator chainsfrom the outside or backside respectively.

The supporting frame is provided with stops for supporting the sidewalls pivoted to the drive shaft. It is also possible to arrange morestops to fix the angle of motion of the side walls about the driveshaft.

In the upper part of the supporting frame there is provided a strippermounted on supporting arms. The stripper contacts each arriving blade atthe discharge outlet and strips off and discharges the materialsthereon. It moves along each blade to the outer edge thereof and thendrops into a rest position. In the path of motion of the stripper thereis provided a dashpot or a rubber block to produce a force holding thestripper in continuous contact with each successive blade during thestripping motion. Furthermore, the motion of the stripper into the restposition is decreased so that the stripper arrives in its rest positiononly after each successive blade has passed the area of the stripper.

The grate is transmissible for liquids and may be a comb, apunched-plate screen, a network, or the like. The fabrication of thegrate depends on the kind and the size of the materials to be taken outof the channel.

It helps to preclude breakdowns if the elevator chains supporting theblades are provided with at least one cleaning brush. The shaft of thecleaning brush is connected to the elevator chains, and the body of thecleaning brush is occupied by bristles and fitted with a gear. At leastone side wall in the area of the tight portions of the elevator chainsis provided with a rack corresponding to this gear. The cleaning brushis rotably driven in the area of the tight portions of the elevatorchains along the same path as the blades and cleans the grate and theconveyor chute continuously. A comb is also fixed to the elevator chainsand located near the bristles of the cleaning brush. Particles removedby the cleaning brush are collected by the comb, which is pivoted on theelevator chains. A guideway in the area of the discharge outlet takesthe comb out of contact with the cleaning brush and brings it intocontact with the stripper. This cleans the comb during each revolutionof the elevator chains.

The inventive concept can be embodied in different manners. A preferredone of these embodiments is shown in the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a sectional side view of apparatusaccording to the preferred embodiment of this invention taken along thelines I-I of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a sectional front view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 taken alongthe lines IIII of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of one side wall of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and2.

FIG. 4 shows a portion of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 with a cleaningbrush.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the cleaning brush of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, theapparatus according to the preferred embodiment of this inventioncomprises a symmetrical supporting frame 1 which is fixedly mountedbeside a channel 2. The supporting frame 1 includes a drive shaft '3, acoupling 4, and a motor 5. Upper sprockets 6 and 6 are fixedly mountedon the drive shaft 3. Side walls 7 and 7 are pivotally mounted on thedrive shaft 3 and are connected to each other by one or more spacingbars 8 made of or containing elastic material. Lower sprockets 9 and 9are also pivoted on the side walls 7 and 7' in independent suspension.The sprockets 6 and 9 are connected by elevator chain 10, while thesprockets 6 and 9' are connected by elevator chain 10'. Some blades 11are fixed to these double arranged elevator chains 10 and 10, and guidetracks 12 and 12' are fixed to the side walls 7 and 7'. The guide tracks12 are positioned in the area of the tight portions of the elevatorchains to preclude the blades 11 from getting out ofcontact withupwardly inclined grate l3 and conveyer chute 14. The guide tracks 12'are positioned on the side walls 7 and 7 in the area of the slackportions of the elevator chains to prevent hanging of the elevatorchains and a rapid increase in the length thereof. Especially in FIG. 1it may be seen how the blades 11 work together with the grate 13 and theconveyor chute 14. As its upper end the conveyor chute 14 changes into adischarge outlet '15, at which the materials to be taken out of thechannel drop down and are thereby discharged from the conveyer chute.

The elevator structure comprising the elevator chains 10 and 10' and theside walls 7 and 7' is pivotally mounted on the drive shaft 3. The sidewalls 7 annd 7' may therefore pivot independently of each other aboutthe drive shaft 3. This provides the elevator structure and the bladeswith good mobility in the area of the channel and causes arrivingobstacles to be removed quicker than before. The arriving obstacles mayeven be removed the first time they come in contact with the blades 11.It is therefore unnecessary for one or more of the blades 11 to bringthe obstacles in the area of the grate 13 to other positions severaltimes before the obstacles may be removed by the following blades 11.

Stops 16 are provided on the supporting frame 1 for limiting the motionand, hence, the angle of the elevator structure containing side walls 7and 7' in one direction relative to the grate 13 and the conveyer chute14. Additional stops may be mounted on the supporting frame 1 to blockthe motion of the side walls 7 and 7' in both directions.

A symmetrical stripper 18 is provided in the upper part of thesupporting frame 1. The stripper 18 includes a stripping bar andsupporting arms 17 and I7 pivotally mounted on the supporting frame I.In operation. the stripper 18 contacts each arriving blade 11 at thedischarge outlet and strips off the materials thereon. The stripper 18moves along each blade 11 to the outer edge thereof and then drops downin a rest position. A dashpot 19 or a block of rubber is provided in thepath of motion of the stripper 18. This provides a force between thestripper 18 and each successive blade 11. thereby holding these parts incontact to clean the blades 11.

Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown the side wall 7 on which thesprocket 9 serving as the lower guide roller of the elevator chain 10 ispivoted in independent suspension. The side wall 7 includes a slot 20 inthe area of the drive shaft 3. A bearing 21 permits the side wall 7 topivot about the drive shaft 3. The bearing 21 may be adjusted and fixedrelative to the side wall 7 to tension the elevator chain 10. A spindlescrew may also be provided to simplify adjusting the bearing 21. Thisenables the distance of the lower sprocket 9 from the drive shaft 3 tobe adjusted for tensioning the elevator chain 10.

As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, at least one cleaning brush 22 isprovided on the elevator chains 10 and 10 in the same manner as theblades 11. The shaft 23 of the cleaning brush 22 is fixed to an elevatorchain 10 or 10, and the body of the cleaning brush occupied by bristles24 is fitted with a gear 25 corresponding to a rack 26 fixed to a sidewall 7 or 7. This rack 26 is positioned in the area of the tightportions of the elevator chains opposite to the grate l3 and theconveyer chute 14. The cleaning brush 22 is rotatably driven by themotion of the elevator chains 10 and 10' in the area of the tightportions of the elevator chains so that the bristles 24 clean the grate13 and the conveyor chute 14. A comb 27 is also fixed to the elevatorchains 10 and 10 to collect particles from the bristles 24. This cleansthe brush 22. A guideway 28 is mounted in the area of the stripper 18and the discharge outlet 15 to take the comb 27 out of contact with thecleaning brush 22 and bring it into contact with the stripper 18. Thecomb 27 is therefore also cleaned by the stripper 18 during eachrevolution of the elevator chains 10 and 10.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for removing floating and solid materials from a channel,said apparatus comprising a support frame; a first vertically inclinedmember supported by the support frame; said first vertically inclinedmember including a lower portion comprising a liquidtransmissible gratefor extending to the bottom of the channel and further including anadjoining upper portion comprising a conveyer chute leading to adischarge outlet; a drive shaft supported at opposite end portionsthereof above the conveyer chute by the support frame; spaced second andthird vertically inclined members comprising opposite side walls for theliquidtransmissible grate and adjoining conveyer chute: each of saidside walls being supported at the upper end portion thereof by the driveshaft for pivotal movement about the longitudinal axis of the driveshaft independently of the other side wall; first and second pairs ofspaced sprockets; each of said first pair of spaced sprockets beingoperatively connected to the drive shaft adjacent to the upper endportion of an associated different one of the side walls; each of saidsecond pair of spaced sprockets being supported at the lower end portionof an associated different one of the side walls; a pair of spacedendless elevator chains supporting a plurality of successively arrangedblades adjacent to the liquid-transmissible grate and adjoining conveyerchute; each of said conveyer chains being supported in operativeengagement with the sprockets supported at the upper and lower endportions of an associated different one of the side walls to guide theblades supported by the elevator chains along the transmissible grateand adjoining conveyer chute and thereby permit removal of floating andsolid materials from the channel; whereby the side walls and, hence, theelevator chains may be independently displaced at different anglesrelative to the liquid-transmissible grate and adjoining conveyer chuteto facilitate removal of floating and solid materials from the channel.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the side walls are connected to eachother by one or more spacing bars of elastic material.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the sprockets supported at the lowerend portions of the side walls are tension rollers for the elevatorchains and are adjustably and fixably spaced from the sprocketsoperatively connected to the drive shaft.

4. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the sprockets supported at the lowerend portions of the side walls are tension rollers for the elevatorchains and are pivoted on the side walls about the longitudinal axis ofthe drive shaft, and wherein the side walls are adjustably and fix ablysecured to the drive shaft to permit adjustment of the spacing betweenthose sprockets and the sprockets operatively connected to the driveshaft.

5. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the elevator chains are provided withguide tracks supported on the side walls in the areas of slack and tightportions of the elevator chains.

6. Apparatus as in claim 5 wherein the guide tracks are railsoutflanking the elevator chains from one side thereof.

7. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the support frame is provided withstops for supporting the side walls at a predetermined position relativeto the liquidtransmissible grate and adjoining conveyer chute.

8. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the support frame is provided with astripper mounted on supporting arms in an upper part of the supportframe to contact the blades arriving at the discharge outlet and stripthe floating and solid materials therefrom, said stripper moving alongeach successive blade and then dropping into a rest position.

9. Apparatus as in claim 8 including means supported in the path ofmotion of the stripper for forcing the stripper against each successiveblade.

10. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the liquidtransmissible gratecomprises a comb.

11. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the liquidtransmissible gratecomprises one of a punched-plate screen and a network.

12. Apparatus as in claim 8 including at least one cleaning brush havinga shaft connected to one of the elevator chains, having a body occupiedby bristles, and having a gear for rotatably driving the body of thecleaning brush, said apparatus further including a rack corresponding tothe gear, said rack being supported on the side wall associated withsaid one of the elevator chains and being positioned for engaging thegear to rotatably drive the cleaning brush along the liquidtransmissible grate and adjoining conveyer chute.

13. Apparatus as in claim 12 including a comb connected to at least oneof the elevator chains and positioned for engaging the cleaning brush.

14. Apparatus as in claim 12 wherein the comb is pivotally mounted onthe elevator chains, and wherein a guideway is supported adjacent to thedischarge outlet for engaging the comb and moving it out of contact withthe cleaning brush and into contact with the stripper.

1. Apparatus for removing floating and solid materials from a channel,said apparatus comprising a support frame; a first vertically inclinedmember supported by the support frame; said first vertically inclinedmember including a lower portion comprising a liquid-transmissible gratefor extending to the bottom of the channel and further including anadjoining upper portion comprising a conveyer chute leading to adischarge outlet; a drive shaft supported at opposite end portionsthereof above the conveyer chute by the support frame; spaced second andthird vertically inclined members comprising opposite side walls for theliquid-transmissible grate and adjoining conveyer chute; each of saidside walls being supported at the upper end portion thereof by the driveshaft for pivotal movement about the longitudinal axis of the driveshaft independently of the other side wall; first and second pairs ofspaced sprockets; each of said first pair of spaced sprockets beingoperatively connected to the drive shaft adjacent to the upper endportion of an associated different one of the side walls; each of saidsecond pair of spaced sprockets being supported at the lower end portionof an associated different one of the side walls; a pair of spacedendless elevator chains supporting a plurality of successively arrangedblades adjacent to the liquid-transmissible grate and adjoining conveyerchute; each of said conveyer chains being supported in operativeengagement with the sprockets supported at the upper and lower endportions of an associated different one of the side walls to guide theblades supported by the elevator chains along the transmissible grateand adjoining conveyer chute and thereby permit removal of floating andsolid materials from the channel; whereby the side walls and, hence, theelevator chains may be independently displaced at different anglesrelative to the liquid-transmissible grate and adjoining conveyer chuteto facilitate removal of floating and solid materials from the channel.2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the side walls are connected to eachother by one or moRe spacing bars of elastic material.
 3. Apparatus asin claim 1 wherein the sprockets supported at the lower end portions ofthe side walls are tension rollers for the elevator chains and areadjustably and fixably spaced from the sprockets operatively connectedto the drive shaft.
 4. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the sprocketssupported at the lower end portions of the side walls are tensionrollers for the elevator chains and are pivoted on the side walls aboutthe longitudinal axis of the drive shaft, and wherein the side walls areadjustably and fixably secured to the drive shaft to permit adjustmentof the spacing between those sprockets and the sprockets operativelyconnected to the drive shaft.
 5. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein theelevator chains are provided with guide tracks supported on the sidewalls in the areas of slack and tight portions of the elevator chains.6. Apparatus as in claim 5 wherein the guide tracks are railsoutflanking the elevator chains from one side thereof.
 7. Apparatus asin claim 1 wherein the support frame is provided with stops forsupporting the side walls at a predetermined position relative to theliquid-transmissible grate and adjoining conveyer chute.
 8. Apparatus asin claim 1 wherein the support frame is provided with a stripper mountedon supporting arms in an upper part of the support frame to contact theblades arriving at the discharge outlet and strip the floating and solidmaterials therefrom, said stripper moving along each successive bladeand then dropping into a rest position.
 9. Apparatus as in claim 8including means supported in the path of motion of the stripper forforcing the stripper against each successive blade.
 10. Apparatus as inclaim 1 wherein the liquid-transmissible grate comprises a comb. 11.Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the liquid-transmissible grate comprisesone of a punched-plate screen and a network.
 12. Apparatus as in claim 8including at least one cleaning brush having a shaft connected to one ofthe elevator chains, having a body occupied by bristles, and having agear for rotatably driving the body of the cleaning brush, saidapparatus further including a rack corresponding to the gear, said rackbeing supported on the side wall associated with said one of theelevator chains and being positioned for engaging the gear to rotatablydrive the cleaning brush along the liquid-transmissible grate andadjoining conveyer chute.
 13. Apparatus as in claim 12 including a combconnected to at least one of the elevator chains and positioned forengaging the cleaning brush.
 14. Apparatus as in claim 12 wherein thecomb is pivotally mounted on the elevator chains, and wherein a guidewayis supported adjacent to the discharge outlet for engaging the comb andmoving it out of contact with the cleaning brush and into contact withthe stripper.